Inside the arrest of Gen Katumba alleged attackers

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Paul Lokech on Thursday in details revealed that security had arrested four more people suspected to have masterminded the attempted assassination of Gen Katumba Wamala on June,1, 2021.

The deputy police chief identified the suspects as  Muhammad Kagugube alias Bafumoya, Walusimbi Kamada alias Mudinka, Kisambira Siriman alias Mukwasi, and Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias Amin or Musa whereas a man identified as Lutwama Hussein alias Master suspected to be the group leader was killed as he tried to resist arrest.

“The major breakthrough was as a result of the many leads that were actively pursued by the task team, and led to the arrest of Muhammad Kagugube alias Bafumoya on June, 26, 2021.  Upon interrogation, he admitted to having participated in the violent attack, when he carried out surveillance on the movement of General Katumba Wamala from his home,”Lokech told journalist on Thursday.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police said that on the fateful day, Kagugube alerted “the assault team” after spotting the Works Minister’s vehicle and the direction it was taking.

 He noted that Kagugube provided details that led to the arrest of Walusimbi Kamada alias Mudinka one of the riders who is alleged to have transported the shooters and that upon arrest, Walusimbi led the security team in reconstructing the of the shooting and how he transported Kanaabe, the shooter.

“A thorough search was conducted at all his known premises and valuable exhibits of a black helmet, 10 jackets, and one of the motorcycles used in the planning, preparation and execution of the plot recovered.  The suspect was taken through the footages of surveillance and execution, and positively identified himself while riding one of the shooters, Kanaabe.”

Gen Lokech said the team later proceeded to Kawanda village in Wakiso district where they arrested one Siriman Kisambira alias Mukwasi who is alleged to have received one of the killer guns from Hussein Lutwama alias Master but later handed it over to one Mustafa Kawawa Ramadan alias Amin or Musa.

Security also recovered from him a motorcycle registration number UEJ 283L suspected to have been used in the plot.

The security team later followed up and arrested Mustafa Kawawa from his home in Maganja B LC1, Seruwumba zone, in Nabweru where several items including materials used in making improvised explosive devices  Al Quaeda training manuals on how to make and detonate bombs, military materials secret communication codes and several Western Union transfer receipts were allegedly recovered.

“The task team further tracked down and arrested Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias MASTER, a resident of Kabulengwa – Kyebando in Nansana Municipality; who was arrested along Nansana Nabweru road.  The suspect who was the team leader and head of the domestic terror cell, put up very stiff resistance to the extent of grabbing a gun from an officer but was subdued by the task team. He later succumbed to the injuries,” Gen Lokech said.

“He was the mastermind behind the plot and the one who commanded all the other suspects before, during and after execution of the planned assassination.  He provided all logistics of guns, motorbikes, mobile phones and facilitation used in the surveillance and execution.”

ADF connection

According to Maj Gen Lokech, security has since established that the overall coordination of the domestic terror cells is done by one Sheikh Abudin Hubaida Taheel Bukenya, a former Allied Democratic Force combatant who had been given amnesty by government.

“He is reactivating the domestic terror cells and is the brain behind the recruitment of assailants like Muhammad Kagugube alias Bafumoya and Lubwama Hussein alias Kinene Christopher alias Master. The group has been behind the robberies of Nansana Cheap Store, Ntake robbery and murder and the robbery on the Supermarket at Mpererwe.”

Security said the connection of the group to the two men earlier this week charged and remanded to Kitalya over the assassination attempt on Gen Katumba Wamala is the killer gun linked to the murder of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi and Maj Muhammad Kiggundu.

“We would like to confirm that this is a straightforward case of political violence and domestic terrorism.  The suspects are part of the team that trained in the North Kivu ADF camp and had started reactivating the domestic terror cells in the country,”Lokech said.

He however noted that security is on the pursuit for the second shooter identified as Kanaabe who is currently on the run.